Switch for electric circuits.



H. W. CHENEY.

swrrcn FOR ELECTRIC cmom'rs,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1907.

Patented; Jan 10,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MWLZZ? H. W. CHENEY, SWITGH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS APPLICATION FILED NOV.29, 1907.

981,063, Patented Jan. 10,1911,

3 SHEETS-8HEBT 2.

$3M 6b. Wane/5 H. W. CHENEY. SWITGE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS, APPLICATIONFILED xov. 29, 1997.

981,068. Patented Jan. 10 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 31 Wax 030% I MW/MM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. CHENEY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 ALLIS-CHAIMERS COMPANY,A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE BULLOCK ELECTRIC MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 10, 1911.

Application filed November 29, 1907. Serial .No. 404,349.

My invention relates to electric switches,

especially to those which open automatically on overload.

In most of the automatic overload circuitbreakers now in generaluse'themovable contacts have a reciprocating movement. This is the case whetherthey move rectilinearly or curvilinearly. As the result of this kind ofmovement the circuit is made and broken at the same points in theswitch. so that the pitting of the contacts caused by the arcing whichtakes place on interrupting the circuit interferes with the propermaking of the circuit on closing the switch.

In brief, my improved circuit-breaker consists of contacts arranged tobe engaged and disengaged by relative movement in the same direction.and a reciprocable arm arranged when moved in one direction to bringsaid contacts into engagement and when moved in the other direction todisengage said contacts.

cry of a rotatable drum which also carries other similar contacts, thevarious contacts contact. in such case the reciprocable armbeing biasedin the proper direction to cause such movement of the drum.

The various novel features of my mven-.

tion will appear from the description anddrawings and will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of my improved circuit-breaker,showing it in- Preferably one of said contacts is. fixed and the otheris mounted on the periphclosed and openposition respectively; Fig. 3- isa front elevation of the circuit-breaker of Fig. 1, showing some ofthe/parts in section; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the switch as shown inFig. 1, the operating handlebeing in section; Fig. 5 1s a View show ingthe-operating mechanism alone, the parts bemg in closed position; andFig. 6 shows somewhat diagrammatically the elecirical connections.

The frame 10 of non-magnetic materialhas a base portion provided withthe proper bolt holes for fastening it to the .base 11, and two sidearms or bracket portions for sup porting the switch parts. In the outer.end of the two bracket portions is fixed a shaft or pin 12 of magneticmaterial. Loosely mounted on the shaft 12 is the sleeve 13 which carriesthe drum 14, the latter being made up of two outer disks 15 of metal orother conducting material, within which, though separated therefrom byinsulation 16, is a coil of strap conductor 17. The in her end of thecoil 17 is connected to the metal disks 15, while the outer end thereofis connected to the contacts 18, 18 and 18, here shown as three innumber and as being equally spaced around the periphery of the drum 14.As thedrum is rotated in onedirection, say clockwise as seen in Fig. 1,the contacts 18, 18 and 18 are arranged to be brought'successively intoengagement with the stationar spring-mounted contact 19, located in alow-out chute 20. This blowout chute is supported between the in-turnedends of two arms 21, which are of magnetic material and are fixed on theshaft 12 so that their ends form poles of the, electromagnet formed bythe coil 17 and shaft 12. Thus a magnetic field is supplied forextinguishing any are between the contacts of the circuit breaker. Thedisks 15, to which the inner end of the coillZ is connected, are inconstant engagement with brushes 22, which thus serve to take off thecurrent from the inner end of said coil. The brushes-22 and contact 19are the electrical terminals of this switch.

A notched disk 25 is fixed to the sleeve 13 so that it rotates with thedrum 1-1. Arms 26 and 27 are loosely mounted on the shaft 12 and carryat their outer end pawls 28 and 29 respectively, which are springpressedinwardly into engagement with the'periphery of the disk 25. The latteris provided with three notches, one side of each of the notches beinhigher than the other, as best shown in Fig. 5. The arm 26 is integralwith one side of the U-shaped handle member 30. Links 31 and 32 areconnected at one end to the arm 27 and the handle member 30respectively, the other ends of said links be ing pivoted together andto the free end of the arm 33, which is pivoted to the frame 10.

The switch is shown in open position in Fig. 2. To close the Switchhandle 30 is moved 'in a clockwise direction to the position shown inFig. 1, the pawl 28 by its engagement with one of the notches of disk 25carrying the drum 14 through the same angle as the handle 3% is moved.The switch is closed when the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 1,the circuit being complete from the stationary contact 19 to the contact18, through the coil 17 and disks 15 to the brushes 22. The engagementof the stops 38 and 38 prevents further clockwise movement of thehandle. As the parts reach the positions shown in Fig. 1, the camsurface 34* on a fixed arm 34 lifts the pawl 28 so that it will clearthe lower or counterclockwise side of the notch in the disk 25 withwhich it has been in engagement at substantially the same time the pawl29 drops into one of the other notches in the disk 25, as shown inFig. 1. The roller 35 on the inner end of the spring-pressed. arm 36 isalso moved inwardly at this time to engage the end of pawl 29 to preventits clockwise movement from this position. If the handle 30 werereleased with the switch not fully in the position shown in 1, thespring 37, by which the handle member 30 is biased in acounter-clockwise direction, would have moved said member, together withthe pawl 28, disk 25, and drum 14, back to the position shown in Fig. 2.

With the switch closedas shown in Fig. 1, the handle member 30 is biasedin a counterclockwise direction, but isprevented from moving in suchdirection by the engagement of the roller 35 with the end of the pawl29. In case it is desiredto open the switch, the

release button 41 is pushed upward to move the arms 36 and 36 todisengage such roller and pawl, whereupon the s ring 37, through thehandle member 30, lin s 31, 32, and 33, arm 27, pawl 29, and disk25,'moves the drum 14 farther in a clockwise direction into 'a positioncorresponding to that shown in Fi 2, but with the contacts 18%,.18" and18 in the places where the contacts 18, 18 and 18 are respectivelyshown. \Vhen the arts reach such position, further counter-c ockwisemovement of the handle member 30 is prevented by stop 38. The arms 21are rovided with rearward projections 39, wiich serve as auxiliary polesfor the magnet exin Fig. 1, act upon the cross-bar 40 of the adjustablearm 36" to move such arm to strike the upper end of the arm 36 anddisengage the roller 35 and pawl 29. Upon such disengagement the handlemember 30 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction and the drum 14 in aclockwise direction in the same manner as when the release button 41is'pushed upward. In either case,iwhen the switch has reached the offposition the pawl 28 drops into the next notch of the disk 25, and theswitch can again be closed by movin the handle 30- in a clockwisedirection. n the successive operations of the switch the contacts on thedrum 14 are successively brought into engagement with the stationarycontact 19.

lVith the arrangement here shown and described all the arcing takes lacebetween the counter-clockwise ends 0 the movable contacts and theclockwise end of the stawithout departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention, and all such I aim to cover in the following claims.

What I claim as new is:'

1. In a switch or circuit-breaker, a fixed contact, a rotatableme'mbercarrying a plurality of contacts for respectivelycooperating with saidfixed contact, a reciprocable arm, and means whereby successivemovements of said arm in opposite directions respectively roducecomplementary movements of saldrotatable member in the same direction tocause'the disen agement of said fixed contact and one of'tie movablecontacts and the engagement of said fixed contact and'th'e next movablecontact.

2. In a switch'or circuit-breaker, a contact, a group of contactswit-lithe individual contacts of which said first contact successivelycooperates, a'reciprocable arm,.and

means whereby successive movements of said contact, a rotatable membercarrying a movable contact, a reciprocable arm, and mechanicalconnections betweensaid arm and said member by which upon a movement ofsaid arm in one direction the rotatable member is rotated forward tobring the two contacts into-engagement, .and upon a moveounces ment ofsaid armin the other direction the rotatable member is rotated forwardto separate said two contacts.

4. In a switch for electric circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatablemembercarryinga movable contact, a reciprocable arm biased in one direction,and mechanical connections between said arm and .said member by whichupon a movement of said arm in one direction the rotatable member isrotated forward to bring thetwo contacts into engagement, and upon amovement of said arm in the other direction the rotatable member isrotated forward to separate said two contacts.

In a switch for electric circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatable membercarrying a movable' contact, a reciprocable arm biased in one direction,mechanical connections, bes tween said arm and said member by which upona movement of said arm in one direction the rotatable member. is rotatedforward to bring the two contacts into engagement, and upon amovement ofsaid arm in the other direction the rotatable member is rotated forwardto'separate saidtwoflcontacts, and means for normally preventingmovement of said arm in said latter direction when it is at its limit ofmovement in the former direction. a v

6. In a switch for electric circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatablemember carrying a movable contact, a reciprocablearm biased in onedirection, mechanical connections between said arm and said member bywhich upon m movement of said arm in one direction the rotatable memberis rotated forward to bring the two contacts into engagement, and upon amovement of said arm in the other direction the'rotatable member is ro-'tatedforward to separate said two contacts,

means for normally preventing movement of said arm in said latterdirection when'it is at its limit of movement in the former direction,and means for releasing said arm from said preventive me ns.

7. In a switch for ele trio circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatable mem rcarrying a movable contact, a reciprocablearm blased'in one direction,and mechanical connections between said arm and sald member whereby u ona movement-of sald arm a ainst its bias the rotatable member is move tobring the two contacts in engagement, and upon a movement in thedirection ofits bias the rotatable member is moved in the same directionas before toseparate said contacts.

8. In a switch for electric circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatablemember carrying a mov-- able contact, a reciprocable arm "biased in onedirection, mechanical connections between said arm and said memberwhereby u on a movement of said arm a ainst its blast-he rotatablemember is move to bring the "two contacts in engagement, and upon amovement in the direction of its bias the ro- .tatable member. is movedin the same direction as before to separate said contacts, and

means for normally preventing movement of said arm 111 one directionwhen it is at its llmit of movement in the other direction.

9. In a switch for electric circuits, a fixed contact, a rotatablemember carrying a movable contact, a reciprocable arm biased in onedirection, mechanical connections between said arm and said memberwhereby upon a movement of said arm-against its bias the rotatablemember is moved to bring the two contacts in engagement,.and upon amovement in the direction of its bias the rotatable member is moved inthe salnc'direction as before to separate said contacts, means fornormally preventing movement of said arm in one direction when it is atits limit of movement in the other direction,

and means for releasing said-arm from said preventive means. I

10. In a switch for-electric circuits, a coi1- tact, a group of contactswith the individual contacts of which said. first contact successivelycotiperates, a" reciproca-ble arm, and meanswh-ereby the alternate halfrecipr0cations of said arm bring said first contact successivelyintoengagement with the contacts of said group, and the remaining halfreciprocations successively separate the engaging contacts.

11. In a switch for electric circuits, a contact, a group of contactswith 'the individual contacts of which said first contact successively-coiiperates, a reciprocable arm, and

tions of'said arm bring said first contact sudessively into engagementwith the contacts of said group, and the remaining half reciprocation'ssuccessively separate theengaging\contacts, said arm being biased in thedirection to separate said contacts.

12. -In a switch for electric circuits, a contact, a group of contactswith the individual contacts of'which said first contact successivelycoiiperates, a reciprocable arm, means whereby the alternate halfreciprocations of said arm bring said first contact successively intoengagement with the contacts of said group, and the remaining halfreciprocations successively separate the engaging contacts, said armbeing biased in the direction to separate said contacts, and means fornormally preventing movement of said arm to separate said contacts. A

13. In a switch for electric circuits, 9. contact, a group of contactswith the individual contacts ofwhich said first contact succcssivelycooperates, a reciprocable arm, means whereby alternate halfreciprocations of said .ar m respectivelybring said first contact intoengagement with one of the contacts of said in the same direction, saidarm being biased in the direction to separate said'contacts,

means for normally preventing movement of said arm to separate saidcontacts, and means for releasing said arm from said preventive means.

14. In a switch for electric circuits, a contact, a group of contactswith the i dividual contacts of which said first con-tacsuccessivelycooperates, a reciprocable arm, means whereby alternate halfreciprocations of said arm respectively bring said first contact intoengagement with one of the contacts of said group and separate theengaging contacts, said arm being biased in the direction to separatesaid contacts, means for normally preventing movement of said arm toseparate said contacts, and means for releasing said arm from saidpreventive means upon an overload.

15. In a switch for electric circuits, a contact, a group of contactswith the individual contacts of which said first contact successivelycooperates, a reciprocable arm, means whereby alternate halfreciprocations of said arm bring said first contact successively 'intoengagement with the contacts of said group, and the remaining halfreciprocations suc- Y cessively separate the engaging contacts,

said arm being biased in the direction to separate. said contacts, meansfor normally preventing movement of said arm to separate said contacts,and means for releasing said arm from said preventive means eithermanually or upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions.

10. In a switch or circuit-breaker, the combination of a fixed contact,a rotatable member carrying a movable contact arranged to cooperate withsaid fixed contact, means for rotating said rotatable member in the samedirection to engage and disengage said contacts, and a spiral coil ofribbon conductor within said rotatable member for furnishing a magneticfield at the contacts as they are disengaged.

17. In a switch or circuit-breaker, the combination of a fixed contact,a rotatable member carrying a plurality of movable contacts arran 'ed tobe successively brought into engagement with said fixed contact "as athe rotatable member is rotated, a coiled conductor within saidrotatable member, said conductor being connected at one end to-the withsaid fixed contact as therotatable niember is rotated, a shaft ofmagnetic material for said. rotatable member, projections of magneticmaterial from said shaft which extend into proximity to said fixedcontact, and a coiled conductor within said rotatable member and havingits outer end connected {)0 the contacts carried by the rotatable mem-19. In a switch or circuit-breaker, the combination of a fixed contact,a rotatable member carrying a plurality of contacts arranged to besuccessively brought into engagement with said fixed contact as therotatable member is rotated, means for biasing said member to disengagesaid fixed contact and any one of the movable contacts with which it isin engagement, means for normally preventing movement of said rotatablemember when such contacts are in engagement, and a coiled conductorwithin said member arranged to release the latter from saidpreventivemeans upon an overload.

20.- In a switch or circuitbreaker, the combination of a fixed contact,a rotatable member carrying a plurality of contacts arranged to besuccessively brought into engagement with said fixed contact as therotatable 1nember is rotated, means for biasing said member to disengagesaid fixed contact and any one of the movable contacts when they are inengagement, means for normally preventing movement of said rotatablemember when such contacts are in engagement, and a coiled conductorwithin said member arranged to release the latter from said preventivemeans upon overload and to furnish a magnetic field at saidfixed'contact as it is disengaged from one of said movable con- HERBERT\V. CHENEY.

Witnesses:

Geo. B. SoHLEY, FRED J. Kisser.

